World Halal Food Council held their Annual General Meeting WHFC on 29 September-1 October 2015 at Aryaduta Hotel Jakarta. Hosted by LPPOM MUI, the; event attracted many people with 68 participants from 45 Halal Certifying Bodies from 22 countries representing ASIA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AMERICA, LATIN AMERICA, and EUROPE as members and observers for this meeting.

The Annual General Meeting opened with a welcoming dinner and speech from Drs. Amidhan Shaberah, on the Board of Advisors of WHFC, and continued with the speech from the President of WHFC Dr. Lukmanul Hakim, M.Si.

In his speech, Drs. Amidhan stated that World Halal Food Council (WHFC) is a forum for halal certification bodies around the world. WHFC objectives are to create peace and safety for Moslems in the world in consuming halal products, and to create a Halal standard that is generally accepted in the world based on Islamic Law (Shariah).

“Since reactivation in 2011 WHFC has already been running four years. Year by year we are always facing different challenges and obstacles due to Halal compliance in the world. Today, we are facing the challenges on:

(1) ASEAN free trade economic community (AEC),

(2) The issuing of the Act 33 of 2014 about Halal Product Assurance.

(3) Halal Issues in Australia and Europe.

In accordance with above challenges, we must take advisable steps by WHFC or Region itself. I would like to suggest to solve them by empowering the organization of the WHFC and membership issue. The first step is to consolidate the shariah committee and technical committee. Both committees must have a framework and plan of action, even if we have the same standard but eventually differ in the details of the work. So, to overcome this problem we must comply with conditions in the respective regions.

According to the issue of commitment of the member there is only one legal body that is WHFC. All members of the organization must be professional and loyal. There is no place in the organization of WHFC for hypocrisy and evaluation of the implementation of the requirements and criteria of MUI Halal Standards. Finding ways for mutual recognition. Making false certifications.

The WHFC doesn’t support or agree with the concept of non-Muslim organizations being Halal certifiers and have agreed not to accept or recognize Halal certificates issued by non-Muslim owned and operated entities.

After Mr. Amidhan speech, it continued with the speech from President WHFC, in this occasion Dr. Lukmanul Hakim, M.Si who informed them about his election as chairman of MUI for economic and halal products. Dr. Lukmanul Hakim, M.Si emphasized why there should be WHFC and the reinstatement of it’s vision and mission, and the advantages for WHFC members and to all participants present.

He reemphasized about the Halal issues that are occuring in Australia and Europe and all over the world, “Halal has nothing to do with corruption, Halal has nothing to do with terrorism. Australian transaction report and analysis center said that there is no relation between halal and terrorism (based on investigation). Halal is Halal, it is not a creation of mankind, it is an order from Allah. Halal is important for both domestic and exporting markets. Halal is a matter for a moslem to have a say and control. Halal can only be certified by a reputable and trustworthy organization which is approved by both local and exporting country authorities. Halal must follow the guidelines and requirements of the importing countries. Halal trading is will be more than USD2 million over next 10 years and will become more than USD3 million. Propaganda will made by secular groups against halal products.”

He also mentioned that in the Annual General Meeting they will be discussing appointing a group of standard in the organization regionally or internationally. It is our responsibility to bring halal as quality matter. Other certifiers like SGS or TUV Nord, try to take halal certification only coming from quality side not from shariah. In Islamic minority country is not easy to have Ulama and Islamic research. Halal is halal, not related to terrorism. The Halal standard should be a platform for unity to face the political situations of the world. It is important to give halal as a position, not only a business.

In the end of his speech, he also announced Drs. Amidhan as the honorary President of WHFC.

For The Annual General Meeting 2015 that was held on October 1, 2015, the agenda is to talk about the issue that has been brought up by the technical & shariah Committee. The issue that is discussed is Time of death for animal slaughtered, What is the halal status of plastics as primary packaging (in touch with food packaged) if the additives or processing aids are coming from pig derivatives or from halal animal but slaughtered not according to Islamic way? And What is the halal status of plastic if it is not primary packaging (not in contact with food packaged) but the additives and/or processing aids are coming from pork derivatives?, Animals (including fish) which are fed najis materials, Procedures of “Nahr” process, Legal hamstrung by “Nahr” of the animals slaughtered recommended by “dzabh”, Status of “Nahr” process after “dzabh” activity. Not only the result of Technical and Shariah Committee meeting. The AGM also discuss the mutual recognition among member of WHFC. Acceptance of Halal Certificate among WHFC members.